The Lie of New Age Open-mindedness

Open-mindedness is, without question, considered a cardinal virtue of the new age. To deconstruct frameworks of understanding the world is ‘open-minded’. To tear constructs apart and leave scattered confusion is ‘unbiased’. To ignore the devastation wrought on a soul is ‘enlightenment’. To fill the void with the thin watery tasteless gruel of “the truth to you is not the truth to me” is ‘wholesome’.

I don’t consider the absolute open mind to be virtuous. Thankfully, some people are finally starting to think about it more although it is perhaps too late for our culture. Is anyone shocked that I said I don’t consider open-mindedness a virtue? Yes! Because many misunderstand the problem I have with the so-called ‘open mind’. Open-mindedness today means, “Judge not lest ye be judged” which is a biblical quote torn from context. That verse is better known than John 3:16 nowadays. Non-Christians seem to quote it more than anyone does. The quote is like Kryptonite for the well-meaning but un-thinking Christian. These days open-mindedness is, in effect, saying that making distinctions (judgments) is wrong. I think I’m morally obligated to judge. An open mind today is an ultra-hyper-tolerant mind that stands for very little because it fears being thought of as narrow-minded: fear of making distinction. The fifteen to twenty-five crowd typically desire distinction only in clothing or tattoos or hair, not in thought. They seem to crave adherence to groupthink under their various appearances of clothing and hair.

Paradoxically, the so-called ‘open mind’ today is the most pre-judgmental and intolerant of all. It wants to put everyone under an indistinguishable collective unity, the ‘correct’ – politically correct – system. It breaks down gender roles, melds all religions into one (thereby diminishing the distinctions), and insists all cultures are equal. Many, especially ‘liberals’, think that open-mindedness is one of the highest moral virtues one can have. I think open-mindedness, as it is known today, will cause your mind to be polluted.

Not all ideas are equal by virtue of mere existence. You must inspect (judge) the ideas at the gate of your mind or you will be slaughtered from the inside out. You cannot open up to everything. The old saying goes: You must stand for something or you’ll fall for anything. And wow, do we have multitudes imploding. Open-mindedness is discernment starving. Something will fill that vacuum. Unguarded minds are stuffed with uninspected cargo, weighted down but empty of understanding. Open-mindedness says nothing is objectionable. That is a lie.

About Allen Bagby

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